Can you Freeze Cooked Rice? Yes! All you need to know!

If you are wondering, "can you freeze cooked rice?", the answer is yes! Learn my tips for freezing rice and the best way to reheat rice so you can use it in all of your favorite recipes. It's an excellent way to do easy meal prep and a great way to save money!!

Whether you use a rice cooker, make instant pot long-grain rice or cook rice on the stovetop or in a pressure cooker, it's one of the easiest recipes to double or triple. You can cook a large portion of rice in the same amount of time as it takes to cook one, so I always make extra so I have leftover rice for future meals. I love serving a side of rice with Broiled Sweet Chili Salmon or use it in my Shrimp and Chicken Fried Rice so it's always nice to have some on hand.

I used to store the rice in the fridge and try to use it all within a day as keeping cooked rice in the fridge for more than a day or so can be a safety hazzard. I began to wonder, can you freeze cooked rice?

In the past, I have bought frozen boxes of precooked rice in the freezer section of my grocery stores. They are super convenient but much more expensive than cooking and prepping it myself. So after some experimenting, I decided to make my own precooked frozen rice.

Easy Meal Prep

I don't often pat myself on the back but when it dawned on me that I could freeze rice, I had to tell everyone I know about this easy way of doing things. Freezing rice is the perfect way to prevent food waste and it is a great way to make meal prepping a breeze. But the benefits don't stop there. Follow my easy steps for perfect rice everytime!

• Convenient – It can take up to 25 minutes for cooking white rice and even longer for brown rice. Making it in advance is the best method to save time on meal prep and gets a family dinner on the table faster, especially on busy nights. Next time you need just a small amount of rice, you can pull it right out of your freezer.
• Economical – Rice is affordable and it's easy to store rice long-term so I always have bags in my pantry. Prepping the rice and freezing it in small batches is much less expensive than buying frozen rice from the store or the shelf stable packets you can heat in boiling water or your microwave.
• Frugal – We love rice but it seems there is always some left over. Freezing the leftovers means we waste less food and even small amounts of rice can be added to soups, meatballs or as a filler in tacos.
• Perfect for Crowds – Rice is ideal for feeding large crowds. Make ahead for easy prep when your guests arrive and you can enjoy more time with friends and family and less time in the kitchen. It's perfect for stir fry recipes and my favorite way to meal prep for perfect fried rice.

Can you freeze cooked rice? Yes! And, best of all, frozen rice can be reheated and used in your favorite rice recipe just as you would fresh rice. I especially like to have precooked rice when making Shrimp and Chicken Fried Rice. It also makes an excellent side dish. Try a few of my favorite rice recipes:

• Instant Pot Long Grain Rice
• Scallop Fried Rice
• Mexican Black Beans and Rice with Sausage
• Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers with Lentils and Rice
• Chicken Burrito Bowls

How to Freeze Rice

1. Cook the rice. Prepare the rice according to the package directions or using your favorite method. I prefer to cook long grain rice in my Instant Pot.
2. Cool the rice. I prefer fluffy rice to have a loose texture so I fluff it with a fork and spread the rice onto a baking sheet. Cool the rice to room temperature on the counter or by placing the trays in the fridge. It's important not to skip this cooling process step as it keeps the great texture of the big batch of rice.
3. Bag the rice. Scoop the rice into plastic freezer bags or an airtight container and remove as much air as possible by gently pressing the plastic bags as you seal them or burping the lid so all the air comes out. You can use a smaller freezer container if you'd like smaller portions. 
4. Freeze the rice. Place the sealed containers into the freezer.
5. Reheat Rice. Keep reading this quick to learn how to reheat rice.

How to Reheat Rice

Reheating rice is simple to do because you don't have to thaw it in advance. Thawing the rice can make it a bit sticky which is perfect for fried rice or a rice salad but to enjoy the rice hot, I simply go from freezer to stovetop, oven or microwave.

Stovetop Method

1. Dump the frozen rice into a sauce pan, breaking up any large chunks.
2. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water and cover with a lid.
3. Cook over medium-low heat stirring occasionally until the rice is warmed through.
4. Fluff and serve.

Oven Method

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Place frozen rice in a baking dish or pan and sprinkle with ½ tablespoon of water per cup of rice.
3. Cover the dish with foil and place in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until heated through.
4. Fluff with a fork, season and serve.

Microwave Method

1. Break the frozen rice into chunks and place them into a mircrowave-safe container or bowl.
2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and microwave for 2-3 minutes.
3. Remove the cover, fluff with a fork, season and serve.

Best Tips for Prepping Rice

Food safety

Tips for rice food safety.

• Store uncooked rice in closed, air tight and pest-proof containers.
• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat.
• Use clean utensils to break up chunks of rice.
• Cool rice to room temperature before placing in the fridge or freezer.
• Spread rice on a baking tray in an even layer and cool for no longer than one hour before placing in the freezer.  Leaving rice out too long can lead to bacteria growth which can cause food poisoning.
• Do not reheat rice more than once.
• Rice should be cooked to a minimum temperature of 165 degrees F.

If you like these methods of freezing and reheating rice, please leave a 5-star rating.

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